Aberdeen chief executive Alan Burrows insists the Dons are not looking to play the role of arsonists by torching the SFA’s disciplinary procedures.
The Dons are leading the calls for the change within the Scottish game after their appeal against captain Graeme Shinnie’s red card at Ross County last month not only failed, but led to his ban being increased for what an appeals panel deemed a “frivolous” attempt to overturn the dismissal.
The Pittodrie club urged the SFA to reconsider the decision and when that appeal was rebuffed expressed a desire to change the current system.
Burrows says his club remains committed to changing the current set-up, but by building consensus, rather than utilising a bulldozer approach.
He said: “What we don’t want to do is to burn the place down and rebuild it.
“What we want is make sure we’re playing an active and responsible role within that and to try to change things for the better if that is the will of the majority.”
Aberdeen have received support from other clubs
Building a consensus for change is not proving difficult, with Burrows claiming other clubs in Scotland are supportive of Aberdeen’s bid to improve the system.
When asked if the Dons had support from with the game, he said: “Yes, we have, some more than others.
“Some have gone through similar challenges and got animated about it. Our issue wasn’t what happened on the night (with Shinnie).
“Ours was more about them process of what happened afterwards and in particular the plus-one-match (on Shinnie’s ban).
“That was the part that riled us.
“The reality in Scotland is that I think there needs to be a push to make the refereeing department better on match days. Help the boys working with VAR and how do we improve that?
“The second part is the judicial panel protocol and the after-match events and how that all fits in.
“I think we can look at both these without having the clubs at one side and the authorities on the other.
“Let’s try to find some middle ground to work a bit more collectively together.”
Dons want to work with SFA
Aberdeen’s anger at the time their captain received an additional game to his three-game suspension was clear.
But three weeks later, the Dons are committed to testing, evaluating and redesigning the disciplinary procedures with the SFA.
Burrows said: “I think in Scottish football when it comes to matters like this, football clubs get really animated when things go against them that they don’t like.
“What happens is they get uptight for a couple of days and shout publicly about how unhappy they are and then the next game will come or a transfer will happen and gradually it drifts off and nothing massively changes.
“Where we see the opportunity, we want to use the influence we have to try and make positive change.
“The judicial panel protocol which we were referring to specifically is over a decade old and hasn’t had, in my knowledge, any real, proper stress test.
“Is it fit for the purpose of the job the clubs still need it to do?
“From our point of view, where we would like to get to, as a football club, is to the point I spoke about earlier on where we get really animated for one week and then let it drift.
“We want to make sure the people we have got in positions of power play an active part in the months ahead, working with other clubs and with the Scottish Football Association – not against them.”
‘Review is healthy’
Aberdeen’s position remains unchanged.
They believe change is needed to avoid a repeat of rancour caused by their failed appeal against Shinnie’s red card at Ross County.
But Burrows knows it can only be done with the support of the clubs and the SFA itself.
He said: “We want to get to a situation where we are a wee bit happier with things that we think need a wee bit of a review.
“I always think review is healthy.
“If something is 13 years old and not had much of a root-and-branch review at any point then it’s healthy to continue to look at it.
“I think there is a willingness from the SFA.
“Sometimes the SFA say it is the clubs and they can change that any time they like, but the reality it is not quite as simple as that.
“You need to get a lot of people on board and a lot of the committees are heavily weighted towards the executive committees of the SFA and the SPFL.
“There isn’t as much representation as is sometimes portrayed.”
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